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Livestock drivers in contamination fear
Page 7
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• by Guy Sheppard New safety guidelines are being drawn up for livestock hauliers amid mounting concern that some of the disinfectant sprays used to control foot and mouth are causing long-term health damage to drivers.
The Road Haulage Association says it has received several complaints from drivers about skin and chest irritation following the disinfection of vehicles at abattoirs.
Roger Wrapson, RHA head of livestock, says the guidelines, which have been drawn up in conjunction with the Health & Safety Executive, are awaiting approval from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
The difficulty is with hauliers having to be disinfected at abattoirs," he adds. "They don't know what disinfectants are being used and, at best, can only guess at what personal protection is needed. In some cases, the facilities are a bit iffy and people can't avoid being sprayed themselves. "No-one up till now has been able to tell us what the effects on humans are when this stuff is sprayed about, particularly in a confined space."
He adds that the guidelines will contain common-sense advice for drivers, such as standing out of the way when vehicles are being sprayed and wearing gloves when coming into contact with the disinfectants.
Livestock hauliers believe the problem is partly caused by abattoirs not diluting disinfectants to the correct strength.
Michael Spiers, joint managing director of T Spiers & Sons in Warwickshire, says; 'A couple of our vehicles have come back where the aluminium is actually streaking because the disinfectant has been too strong.
"If it is doing that to aluminium, it can't be helping your lungs much. A lot of people you speak to say the sprays give them a sore throat."
A spokeswoman for DEFRA says details of approved disinfectants with their correct dilution rates are available on the department's website: 'The one we recommend is citric acid which is less acidic than a can of coke. It is cheap, simple and easy to use."
Edward Gilder, managing Livestock Haulage, which operates its own cleaning and disinfectant centre in the Cotswolds, says his company has always disinfected its own trailers: "To a lot of people who move livestock, disinfecting is new to them. If you don't wash the vehicle straight afterwards it takes the shine off the paintwork. That applies to any chemicals."